( 42 ) 



male. Glumes about equal, hard and firm, especially those of the fertile 

 florets. Grain about J-inch long, smooth, white or red. For figures, see 

 " Field and Garden Crops, N.-W. Provinces and Oudh," Part I., Plate 

 VI., and " Church's Food Grains of India," Fig. 15. 



Largely cultivated all over India, chiefly for its grain. The stalks 

 are extensively used as fodder, and when chopped up is known by the 

 name of karbi. When specially grown for fodder purposes it is called 

 chart. It is a valuable and favourite fodder for cattle, but is said to 

 have injurious effects if eaten too young. 



41. ANTHISTIRIA, Linn. f. Species about 8, mostly tropical. 

 This genus is easily recognized by its inflorescence, the spikelets being 

 arranged in short spikes -e^-elusters. Each cluster is composed of seven 

 or more spikelets, the two lower pairs being either empty, or with a 

 male floret in each, and disposed in the form of an involucre surrounding 

 the three inner ones. The central one of these three inner spikelets is 

 sessile and fertile, the two lateral ones being stalked and sterile as in 

 Chrysopogon. Occasionally there are one or more extra pairs of spike- 

 lets within those which form the involucre. 



A. anathera, Nees. Syn. — Androscepia anathera, Anders. Vern. — Punjab : 

 Kohdi (Gujrat). 



Perennial, glaucous. Stems 2-4 feet, smooth, thickened at the nodes. Leaves long, 

 narrow at the base, ciliate especially at the mouth of the sheaths. Clusters erect, 

 stalked, arranged in an elongate loose panicle, and subtended by spathe-like reddish 

 bracts. Spikelets about nine, without awns ; the lower^ixjnale, their outer glumes 

 clothed with long white hairs seated on tubercles ; seventh spikelet hermaphrodite, 

 glumes not ciliate ; the two upper spikelets male, nearly smooth. 



Hilly parts of Northern India, and up to 8,000 feet on the Himalaya, where it is I 

 largely used as fodder. Madden remarks that in Kumaun the roots are said to be || 

 frequently luminous, whence it is there called " jyotishmati." 



A. arundinacea, Boxb. Vern. — Bliarua (Stewart), Ttangua (Kumaun), ula 

 (Oudh). 



A tall perennial grass, 6-12 feet or more. Stems smooth, filled with spongy pith ; 

 joints large. Leaves 4-8 feet, with hispid margins ; sheaths smooth, compressed. 

 Clusters of many large slender stalked drooping spikelets, each subtended by a boat- 

 shaped bract. Spikelets composed of four sessile awnless accessory male florets 

 surrounding and inserted on a short club-shaped pedicel which supports an herma- 

 phrodite awned floret and two stalked awnless ones. Outer glumes of male florets 

 clothed with much golden coloured hair. Outer glumes of hermaphrodite floret vil- 

 lous, the flowering glume reduced to a long twisted and bent awn nearly four times 

 the length of the spikelet. 



This grass is found in large clumps in wet pasture land. It is eaten only when 

 very young. 



A. gigantea, Cav. Is another tall grass resembling the above, and occurring in 

 similar localities. The spikelets are smaller, more crowded, and the hairs on the 

 glumes are shorter and of a deep brown colour. 



A. ciliata, Linn.f* Syn. — A. australis, R. Br.; A. caspitosa, An- 



* See Plate D., Fig. 19, of present Volume. 



